


Sensory Input

by wanderingKite



Category: Marvel, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Relationship(s), Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 08:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19884871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingKite/pseuds/wanderingKite
Summary: Teenage X-team trainees Jean and Rogue are challenged to cope with the sensory implications of their powers. An anti-mutant arms dealer is on the run and it's their job to track him down.





	Sensory Input

**Author's Note:**

> I erred on the side of making the margin CSS more compatible with a mobile aspect ratio. You may find this easier to read on desktop if you make your window narrower. Sorry for the inconvenience if you are reading on desktop!

**??? - BLACKNESS**

A FIGURE comes into view. It’s OCTAVIAN AURORUS, a grey-haired anti-mutant black market arms dealer in a trench coat. He’s moving as if weaving through a crowd, but he is all that is visible.

**EXT. PARK IN NEW YORK CITY -- DAY**

A YOUNG WOMAN with flaming red hair is concentrating. This is a young high school aged JEAN GREY. She is in a secluded corner of the park.

JEAN  
I have him.

**EXT. STREET CORNER OF NEW YORK CITY -- DAY**

Another YOUNG WOMAN, but this one is a brunette with a silver streak in her hair. She is wearing long leggings, a brown jacket with the sleeves rolled up. She has a long sleeve shirt underneath, gloves, and is wearing a scarf loosely around her neck. She also has a face mask hanging around her neck, not entirely on her face. MARIE D’ANCANTO, better known as ROGUE. She looks up and down the street she is standing on. Anytime anyone gets remotely close to her as they pass she shifts out of the way nervously.

ROGUE  
Where?

**??? -- BLACKNESS**

Aurorus glances up. A street sign materializes into view.

JEAN (O.S.)  
Two blocks east of you.

ROGUE (O.S.)  
Stay with him, Jean.

Aurorus bumps into something, this time a PERSON materializes. An angry red aura flashes around them as they curse Aurorus. Many people now start materializing into view, like dust rising from the ground to form people. Each are surrounded by their own aura. Jean starts to hear their murmured thoughts. We are still following Aurorus but he is blurred now. Whenever the sound of the crowd’s thoughts swells, he become almost indistinguishable.

**EXT. STREET OF NEW YORK CITY -- DAY**

Rogue is weaving through the crowd, keeping her eyes peeled for Aurorus.

ROGUE  
Jean? How close am I? I can’t see him.

**??? -- BLACKNESS**

Jean sees Aurorus and Rogue in the crowd, moving toward each other, getting closer and closer by the second.

**EXT. PARK IN NEW YORK CITY -- DAY**

Jean opens her mouth to begin to answer --

JEAN  
You --

But then clutches her head as the voices roar and lights flash in her brain.

JEAN  
It’s too much!

**EXT. STREET OF NEW YORK CITY -- DAY**

Rogue bumps directly into Aurorus. His eyes narrow and he reaches for a concealed gun in his trenchcoat. Rogue is startled and frightened.

ROGUE  
No!

She lunges at him and locks him in a steel bear hug, her cheek touching his cheek.

The effect is immediate and horrifying. It’s as if Aurorus is decaying from his cheek outward. He jerks and shudders in her arms, powerless. At first he can’t gather a breath to scream, but then he lets out a howl of pain. Onlookers start turning toward Rogue and Aurorus with horrified looks on their faces.

Rogue drops Aurorus to the ground and sees his face and neck.

He is disfigured by her powers, his face caved in and the skin dead looking. Rogue takes a step back.

JEAN (O.S.)  
Help me…

Aurorus gets up. Rogue is paralyzed, listening to Jean.

JEAN (O.S.)  
...help…

Aurorus flees through the crowd, while Rogue looks on, conflicted. Then, resolving to help her friend, Rogue flies away.

**EXT. PARK IN NEW YORK CITY -- DAY**

Jean is lying crumpled on the ground, shaking and crying. Rogue lands next to her.

JEAN  
...so much…

ROGUE  
I know, sweetie. Let’s get you out of here.

Rogue easily lifts Jean into her arms and tenderly cradles her. She looks back toward the city streets, thinking about Aurorus’ injury. She kisses Jean on the forehead and flies away.

**INT. X-MANSION -- HEADMASTER’S OFFICE**

This office is perfectly neat. There is no computer on the desk, no books on the shelves, no trinkets, no art. Sitting in a high backed chair behind the desk is EMMA FROST, dressed all in white. She has short blonde hair and glacial eyes. Sitting in the significantly less comfortable chairs in front of the desk are Rogue and Jean. Jean has a blanket over her and is drinking a glass of water. She still looks shaken up, but she is lucid.

EMMA  
Disfigurement, you say?

ROGUE  
...yes. His face was...mangled. I didn’t mean to. It was awful, Ms. Frost.

Emma nods slowly, taking in this information. She waits a beat before responding. She knows she’s bad at supporting people in crisis. She tries to pick her words carefully.

EMMA  
I see. I would not feel bad about it. This man sells weapons for the explicit purpose of arming paranoid anti-mutant activists.

Rogue stares at her hands and begins to cry. Emma can tell she has missed the mark. She takes a breath and tries a different tactic.

EMMA  
Also, your powers were probably magnified by fear. As you gain more control, this kind of thing will not happen, unless you want it to.

Tears drip into Rogue’s hands. Emma gives up. She really is bad at this.

EMMA (now addressing both of them)  
You may both rest. This was a difficult mission, especially for trainees. Tomorrow you will apprehend Aurorus.

Rogue gets up and leaves quickly, wiping tears from her face. The door slams behind her and Jean jumps. Emma stares after her.

JEAN  
Ms. Frost?

Emma shifts her attention back to Jean.

EMMA  
Yes, Ms. Grey?

JEAN  
Please, could you finish this mission? I don’t think I can. The city is too much for me. I can’t filter it all out.

EMMA  
Ms. Grey, listen to me. I know it is hard. It is hard for all of us. And yet all of us do our part. I, for instance, have been in contact with Captain Rogers to assist with an Avengers operation. It is extremely time sensitive and they will require my skills. There are no other telepaths capable of tracking Aurorus available other than you. I am sure you will be able to find a way to overcome this challenge. (Beat) You are dismissed.

**INT. X-MANSION -- HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE HEADMASTER’S OFFICE**

Rogue is waiting for Jean in the hallway. The door to the headmaster’s office swings open and Jean comes out, looking hopeless.

ROGUE  
Hey Jeanie. Look...I know that was hard for you. I was really freaked out too. What I did to Aurorus…

Rogue looks away from Jean, unable to make eye contact. Jean is silent, distracted, trying to figure out how to find Aurorus in the city without going mad.

ROGUE  
I could really use, you know. Your help. To clear my head.

Rogue puts her gloved hand on Jean’s shoulder.

ROGUE  
Even if it’s not real. Even if it’s just you tricking my brain. Please Jean. I need to feel...safe.

Jean pushes away Rogue’s hand.

JEAN  
And what will make me feel safe? When do I get to feel safe? Even here in the mansion I feel everything! Everyone’s fucked up thoughts and their pain and their…

She’s looking right into Rogue’s eyes.

JEAN (CONT’D.)  
selfishness!!!

Tears well up in Rogue’s eyes. She turns and storms away. Jean slumps against the wall and puts her face in her hands.

**INT. X-MANSION -- ROGUE’S ROOM**

Rogue walks into her room and slams the door shut, wiping tears from her eyes. Her room is covered in pictures of gourmet food. She sits down at her messy desk and pulls out a journal and pen. She opens the journal, stares furiously at it for a moment, then hurls it at the wall, knocking down a shelf of animal tchotchkes.

She reaches into a drawer and pulls out a pair of virtual reality goggles. They have large headphones built in that muffle sound.

INSERT VIRTUAL REALITY GOGGLES HEADS UP DISPLAY

Rogue selects the RaveChat app.

**INT. VIRTUAL REALITY INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE DANCE FLOOR**

A kaleidoscope of strobing colored lights illuminate the dance floor. The dancers are wearing a variety of micro-transaction cosmetics. Some are only using the basic avatar and look the same. Some of the cosmetics are repeated throughout the crowd.

Rogue’s avatar decently resembles her and is wearing a loose tank top and short shorts -- as much bare skin as possible. She revels in the freedom of not having to wear her protective layers, immediately jumping into a mass of bodies near the DJ booth.

Rogue is engulfed in mass of sweaty bodies. She reaches out her arms and strokes the strangers nearest to her. Eventually she is dancing closely with a WILD YOUNG WOMAN for an extended period of time. The wild young woman is also showing a lot of skin, but unlike Rogue she is broad and muscular, built like a professional weight lifter.

The wild young woman and Rogue begin to kiss as they dance.

**INT. X-MANSION -- HALLWAY OUTSIDE ROGUE’S DORM**

Jean comes to Rogue’s door. Hesitates. Knocks. She waits. Knocks again.

JEAN  
Rogue?...

She listens at the door, hears nothing. Jean quietly turns the handle and opens the door.

JEAN  
Are you sleeping…?

**INT. X-MANSION -- ROGUE’S ROOM**

Jean enters and sees Rogue with her VR headset on. Rogue can’t hear Jean at all due to the headphones. Rogue is touching herself sensually, tracing her fingertips across her wrists, and then begins to take off her shirt…

**INT. X-MANSION -- HALLWAYS OUTSIDE ROGUE’S ROOM**

Jean backs out and shuts the door quietly. She looks around hopelessly. There’s no one for her to talk to. She steels herself and walks away, resolute.

**EXT. X-MANSION -- SIDE GATE -- NIGHT**

Jean is leaving through a small side gate in the iron fence, and heads toward the forest. She is carrying a small traveling backpack.

**EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- NIGHT**

Jean is standing by the side of the road, hiding in the bushes. She’s concentrating. As the cars pass, we can see the auras of the drivers and hear some of their murmuring thoughts. An expensive car approaches, driving way over the speed limit.

JEAN  
...you.

**INT./EXT. CAR -- COUNTRY ROAD -- NIGHT**

Jean is riding in the passenger seat of the expensive car. Its DRIVER is staring blankly, driving like a robot.

**EXT. CABIN -- NIGHT**

The car pulls up to a remote cabin near a lake. Jean gets out of the car. Before she closes the door she bends down to speak to the driver. She looks deeply into his eyes.

JEAN  
You’ve never heard of this place before. If you see pictures, messages, or financial records about it, they will look like nothing to you and you will suddenly remember that you desperately need to call and catch up with your mother. Understand?

DRIVER  
...understand.

JEAN  
Good. Go home. Drive the speed limit.

Jean slams the card door shut and lets herself into the cabin with a set of keys.

**INT. X-MANSION -- ROGUE’S ROOM**

It’s early morning and Rogue is still logged in to the VR system. She is sitting in her chair, her clothes a mess.

SOMEONE knocks, but she doesn’t hear. They knock again and then yell through the door.

SOMEONE (O.S.)  
ROGUE! Headmaster's office! Now!

Rogue startles out of her chair, completely out of it. She takes off the VR goggles and adjusts her clothes. She shakes her head a bit to try and orient herself and stumbles out of her chair.

**INT. X-MANSION -- HEADMASTER’S OFFICE**

Emma is standing behind the desk in traveling clothes. Rogue is sitting in one of the guest chairs trying to hold it together.

ROGUE  
What’s up, Ms. Frost? Kind of an early call, right? I didn’t think we’d leave for the mission for another few hours at least.

EMMA  
It is not the mission that requires your attention, Ms. D’Ancanto. Ms. Grey has taken an unapproved leave of absence from the school.

Emma reaches into the desk and pulls out a tablet with a glowing map display. There is a blinking dot on the map.

EMMA  
I have located Ms. Grey and do not anticipate that she will move far in the next few hours. You should be able to get there in a little under two hours if you take the X-bike.

ROGUE  
I’m in kinda rough shape Ms. Frost, maybe someone else should go?

EMMA  
Ms. Grey is feeling particularly vulnerable. I can sense you two had a fight. It is important that she not feel mobbed and that you two resolve your differences. That means that you need to go and you need to go alone. I also need to leave. I trust that you will handle this with care.

Emma leaves the office, leaving the door open behind her. Rogue shakily rises from the chair.

**INT. CABIN -- DAY**

Jean wakes up in the bed of the cabin. She stretches luxuriously and yawns.

Jean pours herself a cup of coffee and walks to the sliding glass door.

Jean looks out onto the lake. She is far enough away to not pick up any stray thoughts. She is at peace.

**EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY**

Rogue is riding the X-bike on a road in a wooded area, on the way to Jean. She is exhausted, veering all over the road. She is seeing flashes of her VR excursion, trying to blink them away.

She veers too hard and -- CRASH! -- goes down, sliding across the asphalt. She attempts to rise, but slumps back down and blacks out.

**INT. CABIN**

Rogue awakens to her face being stroked by Jean’s bare hand. She is banged up, but not too worse for wear. She blinks and we see that Jean is not actually touching her, just simulating touch in her mind with her telepathic powers.

ROGUE  
That feels nice, Jeanie.

Jean gets a wet towel from beside her and starts wiping dirt and blood off Rogue’s face. Rogue begins to weep. Jean puts her arms around Rogue without touching her, but then see the effect in Rogue’s mind. Jean is holding her tightly.

ROGUE  
I just want to be normal.

JEAN  
That’s all anyone wants sweetie.

Rogue laughs.

ROGUE  
I’ll never get to be normal, will I? But you help me feel normal. Maybe that’s enough.

JEAN  
Normal people tried to track down Aurorus but they couldn’t.

Rogue sits up, with renewed determination.

ROGUE  
Damn straight! That’s why they need us! Let’s go wrangle that dirtbag!

She pauses, looks at Jean, concerned.

ROGUE  
Will you be alright, in the city?

JEAN  
Last time I panicked. It will be hard, but you stick to him. We need to bring him in.

Rogue nods.

**EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS -- DAY**

Jean and Rogue are riding the X-bike in the city. Rogue is driving and Jean is concentrating behind her.

**??? -- BLACKNESS**

We see Aurorus, now with a scarf over his face. Again, we can only see him, not his surroundings. He is relatively still, as if he’s waiting.

JEAN (O.S.)  
I’ve found him.

**EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS -- DAY**

Rogue is maneuvering the X-bike through traffic.

ROGUE  
I can’t believe he’s still in the city after what happened yesterday.

JEAN  
We interrupted his deal. He can’t leave without his money.

**??? -- BLACKNESS**

More and more telepathic information starts to flood Jean’s mind, but it’s from around her this time. It’s reaching an overwhelming crescendo in Jean’s mind. It’s blurring out Aurorus who is pacing back and forth, holding something.

**EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS -- WAREHOUSES -- DAY**

Jean and Rogue are in a warehouse district of NYC, hardly anyone is around.

JEAN  
...take a left…

Jean grips Rogue tightly from the rear seat of the X-bike. Her had falls onto Rogue’s back and she begins shivering.

ROGUE  
Jean! Are you okay?

JEAN  
We’re close, go straight.

Jean is panting. Rogue is slowing down, looking around.

**INT. WAREHOUSE**

Aurorus is standing in the second level of a warehouse. He can see Jean and Rogue out the window. He is holding a large hi-tech gun. He sets it up, waits for them to get in range.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS -- WAREHOUSES -- DAY

Rogue is now traveling at a crawl, and the warehouse Aurorus is hiding in is drawing nearer.

ROGUE  
Where is he, Jean?

Jean is shaking.

ROGUE  
I’m right here hon, I’m right here.

**??? -- BLACKNESS**

The psychic maelstrom from the city is paralyzing. Jean perceives herself, sees Rogue in front of her. We see her reach forth and psychically touch Rogue’s cheek.

ROGUE (O.S.)  
... right here…

The sound from the maelstrom cuts out. Jean takes a deep audible breath.

**??? -- BLACKNESS/CABIN**

Jean is standing at the sliding glass door of the cabin, looking out at the lake. Everything is quiet. She opens the sliding glass door. She runs toward the lake and jumps in, cleansing herself of the psychic muck of the city.

**??? -- BLACKNESS**

Her psychic senses cleansed, Jean sees Aurorus clearly, just as she and Rogue move into his range.

JEAN  
Look out!

**EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS -- WAREHOUSES -- DAY**

Rogue swerves the X-bike just in time to avoid the first blast from Aurorus’ hi-tech gun. Jean is launched from the bike and slams into the pavement. She struggles to get up for a moment but then collapses.

Rogue looks at Jean and then at the warehouse the blast emanated from. Her face is taut, furious, her eyes ablaze.

**INT. WAREHOUSE**

Aurorus sees Rogue looking at him through the window, registers her face, takes an involuntary step back. He has made a mistake. He fully turns to run. He has taken barely three steps when…

CRASH!

Rogue flies through the wall, fist first. She sends concrete flying and lands on her feet, walking toward Aurorus. Aurorus turns and points the hi-tech gun at her while backing up. He fires a shot at her.

The electric blast is loud in the warehouse and it echoes. It emits a huge flash of light.

She shrugs it off like she got hit with a Super Soaker.

Aurorus drops the gun and turns to run, but Rogue is flying again and is on him in a flash. She’s pinning him to the wall, on the verge of breaking most of his bones.

ROGUE (snarling)  
That’s enough out of you.

She knocks his head against the wall. He drops to the ground and groans weakly. She picks him up by the leg.

**EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS -- WAREHOUSES -- DAY**

Rogue flies to where Jean is now sitting upright on the ground, carrying Aurorus upside down. He is still unconscious.

Rogue lands next to Jean and hurries to her side.

ROGUE  
Are you alright Jean??

JEAN  
Yeah I’ll be fine. Just take me home, okay?

Rogue winks at Jean.

ROGUE  
I’ll have you there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail baby girl.

Rogue scoops Jean up in one arm, cradling her like a baby, and flies off with Aurorus still dangling from the other hand.


End file.
